Obama vs. McCain III: McCain Buries Himself

Obama should have also held up the column written in The Wall Street Journal today extolling Ayers and how he's been fully rehabilitated. The column's author said he knew Ayers was no terrorist because they were friends. Obama should have asked McCain, "Do you believe this Wall Street Journal columnist is also palling around with terrorists----Senator?"

[Black Star News Editorial]

Senator John McCain sealed his fate duringtonight's debate with his open admission that while he would not conduct a"litmus test" on potential Supreme Court nominees, he would notappoint a judge who supports Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to choose.

Moreover, all the Clinton women votersand independents will now probably pitch their tents with Senator BarackObama's; the Democrat unequivocally stated that he supports Roe v. Wade.

A CNN poll gave Obama 58% as thewinner with McCain getting only 31%. The CNN also saw Obama's favorable opinion rise from 63 percent at the start of the debate to 66 percent at the end of the debate, CNN reported. McCain's favorables dropped from 51 percent to 49 percent.

Even FOX News's own survey gave the nod to Obama.

McCain referred to people who supportlate term abortion as the "extreme aspect of" of pro-choicers. Thisugly language in referring to something that only women can best understand,cannot win him votes except from his solid Republican base.

McCain also wasted much time attackingObama as a tax-and-spend candidate. It's a curious strategy at a time when theCongress has just approved a $700 billion package to bailout the economy, with$250 billion going to save major commercial and investment banks.

How would a candidate oppose spendingon programs to create jobs and expand healthcare coverage to the generalpopulace when Main Street has already received such a mountain of money?

Obama should have leaned over andasked McCain: "Now that you've voted on $700 billion for Wall Street don'tyou believe that Main Street, including your supporters, deserves somegovernment support as well?"

Obama was cautious: He was excellentwhen he discussed his healthcare plan and completely destroyed McCain's when hepointed out that although McCain's plan offered people $5,000 each (which istaxable), on average, a healthcare program costs $12,000. Recipients ofMcCain's plan would end up actually losing money, Obama observed.

On the abortion and spending issuesalone, McCain forfeited this election.

McCain also brought up the allegedfriendship between William Ayers and Obama; Ayers was a member of theWeathermen, a radical organization that bombed federalbuildings, during the 1960s. Obama pointed out that Ayers committed the acts which he had alreadydenounced as "despicable" while he was a young boy. He also pointedout that Ayers is now a professor and that he and Ayers served together on theboard of a foundation that was funded by Mr. Annenberg, a former ambassadorunder Ronald Reagan.

Obama should have also held up thecolumn written in The Wall Street Journal today extolling Ayers and how he'sbeen fully rehabilitated. The column's author said he knew Ayers was noterrorist because they were friends. Obama should have asked McCain, "Doyou believe this Wall Street Journal columnist is also palling around withterrorists----Senator?"

At the end of the day, Senator Obamawas clearly presidential, while Senator McCain, consistently, was his usualgrumpy, angry old persona.

He chortled and evidenced clear contempt throughout, which is unfortunate since even his supporters know that Obama is smarter than McCain.

There's not much more to discuss here.

McCain needed to win independents andso-called undecideds.

McCain forgot and appealed to red-meatRepublicans--the same base of voters he had already secured with his selectionof Sarah Palin as his running mate.

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